FITNESS | REVIEW

A revved-up system that won't leave you behind

Yoga, yoga everywhere, but where to start? For those not likely to charge into a studio and plunk down a sticky mat, there are videos. And for those who want videos that go from the basics to beyond, there is "Mark Blanchard's Progressive Power Yoga System: The Sedona Experience," a series of DVDs that will enlighten beginners and challenge more experienced yogis.

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-- Jeannine Stein

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"Mark Blanchard's Progressive Power Yoga System": Five DVDs make up this series: the Foundation, the Core, the Stretch, the Flow and the Culmination, the last containing elements of all segments. Blanchard, who has been teaching for 12 years and owns Mark's Power Yoga studio in Studio City, treats the video like a class. He demonstrates most of the poses but also walks around the participants, describing the exercises and the breathing while gently correcting alignment. That approach and the camera shots that allow full views of poses set these DVDs apart. Because participants range from first-timers to experienced, those new to yoga can easily see how to modify their moves. Blanchard also encourages working at a comfortable level and resting when necessary. The 90-minute Foundation DVD covers basics such as upward- and downward-facing dog, bridge, chair and mountain poses, and some stretches. "It's not about doing this pose or that pose," he says, "but about the experience. What I tried to capture was not doing something perfectly. I don't get into poses perfectly every time, and I've been doing it for 28 years. The message is that we can all do this."

Price: $89.99 for the five-DVD set; individual videos are $22.99. Available at www.marksyoga.com or by calling (818) 769-6427.